Umzi Wethu Success Stories - Vuyiseka Manxoweni

Vuyiseka Manxoweni (25 years)
Umzi 7

Vuyiseka Manxoweni has been working in the kitchens at Shamwari for one year. This is her first job following graduation from the Umzi Wethu hospitality academy in 2010. However, she gained very valuable work experience during her year at Umzi when she worked as a waitress and chef at the Port Elizabeth Stadium during the Fifa World Cup.
“It was very hectic at the stadium,” says Vuyiseka. “It was really busy, and there were loads of people. But the Umzi students were a good team and we participated in serving, cooking, preparing hot meals and also making dessert.”
Vuyiseka has had a passion for pastries from a very young age. She grew up watching her cousin and her aunt bake, making sure that she remembered each ingredient that was added to each dish so that she could one day make her own cakes and scones. “In 20 years or so I want to be a famous pastry chef,” says Vuyiseka. Her signature dish, a deliciously moist carrot cake, is a hit at the Umzi Wethu coffee shop. “I also bake it here at Shamwari and the guests love it.”
Vuyiseka, originally from Cookhouse in the Eastern Cape, first heard about the Umzi Wethu programme from reading about it in the local newspaper, the Somerset Budget. “I was browsing through the paper at the Cookhouse Youth Development Centre where I was a volunteer, and I read about Umzi Wethu. I knew a bit about it because my friend was there, but I decided that I needed to apply because it would be a good stepping stone to my career as a pastry chef.”
Vuyiseka’s passion for ‘sweet things’ was nurtured by her house mother, Ma Ntombi. “Ma Ntombi used to allow me to do the baking for my fellow students, and I used to make the birthday cakes,” says Vuyiseka. “Ma just asked me what ingredients I needed, and then I used to do the rest.”
While working at Shamwari, Vuyiseka has learned “many things” from new recipes to guest relations. Apart from her baking duties, she is responsible for developing menus for the various lodges.
 “When we have braais and buffet, we chat to the guests, and I have learned how to deal with all different kinds of people. Some are fussy and want their food a certain way, others are just interested in knowing what is in the different food.”
Vuyiseka is one of the greatest achievers in her family. She is currently the only breadwinner in her household and supports her aunt and sister. “Umzi really turned a light on for me and helped me to move up in the world. I couldn’t be here without Umzi.”